Debunking the Myth That Most People Fail at MLM

We’ve all heard it before: the claim that the MLM industry is a scam, that most people fail at their MLM endeavor and that you’re destined to as well. The claim is that the odds are against you, that once you buy your starter kit the network marketing world is determined to keep you down while you continue to try to push ahead. After a ton of hard work and effort you find yourself alone on the curb of the avenue to success, wondering what went wrong. Sounds dire, right? Well, it’s time to debunk this claim and truly understand why people “fail” at MLM and why others succeed.

In the video clip below, Tim Sales offers his own insight to the question, “do most people fail at MLM?” Take a look for some of his thoughtful responses to this and his advice for finding truth behind the false claim.

Debunking the Myths in the MLM Industry

The problem with the experts in any field is they exude such ease and confidence that they give off the impression that success comes naturally. Michael Jordan so gracefully carried the basketball down the court and defeated his opponents that many of us were left thinking he was born with talent. Tiger Woods plays golf so organically that it must be his innate knowledge of the game. This delusion is dangerous for those of us that want to succeed in life, whether at basketball or golf or in your MLM business, because it allows us to think that success isn’t an achievement, it’s a gift. This leads us to the first myth in the MLM industry.

Myth #1: Success Happens Overnight

Just like anything in life, success in your MLM business takes hard work and time. You can’t expect to wake up one morning on the top of a mountain, breathing the fresh air and reeling in the feeling of exhilaration. You must first climb the mountain, step by step, in order to reach the summit.Only then can you bask in the benefits of your hard work.

Athletes practice every day to hone their skills; they run drills and replay the fundamentals of the game over and over until they’re perfected. Musicians practice every note until they’ve got it right, even if it takes days, weeks, months. And just like that, MLM requires the same amount of energy to build a well-oiled machine and to be able to present your products to the best of your abilities. Communication and marketing skills are something you learn, not something you’re born with. In this world, there is no such thing as an overnight success that happens without any input. You make your own luck, if you practice hard enough and work hard enough, you’ll rise to the top.

Myth #2: Most People Fail

Tim Sales makes a clear distinction between failure and quitting. Quitting is what one does when they give up before truly putting in the time and effort to succeed. Quitting happens all the time. Just think of all the inactive gym memberships, the abandoned diets, the unused sporting equipment in garages across the country, and the unplayed musical instruments collecting dust in closets. Quitting is easy; it’s what happens when you shy away from obstacles or when you refuse to get back up again after you stumble.

Most people don’t fail at network marketing, they quit. They decided not to put the time and effort into the business that is required, and in turn, they spread the misleading claim that those who enter into MLM are destined to fail. Why? They need someone to blame for their giving up, and the entire MLM industry becomes the scapegoat. In reality, MLM is like everything else in life. Nothing comes easy; practice, hard work, and time are required to make anything out of nothing.

Myth #3: The Odds are Against Me

If you ask yourself “what are the odds that I’ll succeed in my MLM business?” You’ll find it impossible to find a true answer. Odds are based on chance, and you can’t leave anything to chance in network marketing. There are no odds, only performance. Instead ask yourself this: If I continue to push through any setbacks, work hard, and put in the time and energy to getting this started, then will I be closer to accomplishing my goals and achieving success? Don’t count on luck to get you through, only rely on yourself and your capabilities.

Failure is Just a State of Mind

Next time you hear someone make the claim that most people fail at MLM, think deeper about what it is they’re really trying to say. Chances are, they didn’t put in the hard work that you intend to put in to build a successful downline and give awesome presentations. Don’t be discouraged by nay-sayers, instead take a look at those that have succeeded and begin to understand why they made it above the curve and others didn’t. Look up, not down. Find inspiration in those that have built empires on their own hard work, and don’t look to the bottom to hear stories of giving up and not trying.

“The decision someone makes on the day they get involved is not the important one. The important one is the decision they make when they realize what it’s really going to take to succeed.” – Tim Sales

J. Audrey Hoy is the CatalystMLM team’s resident wordsmith. With a master’s of fine arts degree from New York University, J. Audrey has served as an Adjunct Instructor of Creative Writing at NYU and she currently works as the Content Editor and contributor at CatalystMLM. Originally hailing from the Chicagoland area, J. Audrey has previously resided in Iowa City, Brooklyn and currently lives in Burlington, Vermont. She spends her free time reading novels, writing, exploring the Burlington area and enjoying the outdoors.